08/17/06 Sense And Sensibility

Sense And Sensibility (1995), directed by Ang Lee

watched w/ Leslie & Leslie's Mom (partially); VHS (personal copy) @ Leslie's Mom's house (Bethlehem, PA)

Yet another Jane Austen adaptation. Yet another period piece dramedy. Yet another heart-tugging tale of love, betrayal, class systems, British wit, and formal dances. The company that I watched this with obviously is more drawn to such matters than I, but how can I refuse such intelligent women the right to enjoy such fare? I can't play so macho all the way though, I did find the film lighthearted and funny at times...plus Kate Winslet is a bit of a hottie in a corset. Once we settled over who's copy of the film it was, we settled down for a nice lazy afternoon viewing. Kate Winslet plays the middle daughter of a bevy of buxom beauties who's father has very recently passed, leaving the estate in the hands of the eldest son from another marriage (and who's wife wants the girls to have nothing to do with the family riches). Therefore, and as the customs of the era would have it, all of the young (well, some more spinster than young) women need to look to marriageability as a means to survive. Marianne (Winslet) is joined by older unmarried sister Elinor (Emma Thompson) in the search for love and marriage, being the titular opposites as one relies more on common sense and the other a hopeless dreamer. Elinor falls for suave Edward (Hugh Grant), who fails to mention he's secretly engaged...Marianne falls for dashing Willoughby, who fails to mention he's promised in marriage to another...all the while having Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman) pine for Marianne's interest in him. All relationships get tested to the breaking point, feelings are hurt, hearts are broken, lessons are learned...and guess what?! Everything works out in the end...shocker. Willoughby is tossed out of the picture, as true love prevails with Col. Brandon sticking with Marianne through thick & thin. Edward realizes his tragic mistake in honesty, apologizes, and is welcomed back with open arms. Not to say that women of the time were not strong and resourceful in wit...it's just a shame to think that these are the blokes they had to choose from and rely on so heavily for their futures. What's funny is that the tables today seem to be turned in reality, where I'm sure Kate Winslet has much more box-office pull than say solid actor Alan Rickman (here where Leslie discovered him) can hope to muster...thereby putting the men in the role of trying to make themselves look presentable at the local ball in their neck ties, pining away for a princess on a white horse to come and whisk them away to brighter Hollywood futures and riches. Where the heck am I going with this?! The movie was fun, but sad at parts...I'm just glad I got to see it with Leslie & her mom, as they both seem to enjoy it tremendously (hence the fight over who's copy it is).

3 out of 5 stars